My easy Asian cucumber salad is full of fresh flavors from garlic, ginger, onion, and a sesame soy sauce vinaigrette. This cool, chilled salad is a refreshing side dish during the summer months and pairs perfectly with any of your favorite Asian-inspired recipes.
This salad makes for a wonderful light lunch. Otherwise, you can serve it with some teriyaki chicken stir fry, General Tso's shrimp, or any of your favorite Asian-inspired entrees.
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If you're searching for a light and refreshing side dish, this chilled Asian cucumber salad fits the bill. This tasty salad has quickly become a favorite in our household due to the delicious umami flavor from the sesame soy dressing (and for me, how easy it is to throw together).
It pairs particularly well with any spicy main course as the cool, chilled cucumbers really mellow out the heat!
🥘 Ingredients
You'll need to make a stop at the produce section, then the Asian foods aisle. All of these ingredients can be used in a number of other recipes, so they are great to keep on hand.
- 1 pound Mini Cucumbers - English, Persian, or Turkish cucumbers would suffice.
- ¼ teaspoon Salt - For drawing the water out of the cucumbers.
- 3 Green Onions - Sliced.
- ½ tsp Ginger - Grated or finely minced.
- ½ tsp Garlic - About 1 small clove, grated.
- 2 tablespoon Rice Vinegar - Or one of these rice vinegar substitutes.
- ½ tablespoon Soy Sauce - If using low-sodium soy sauce, taste and adjust salt as needed.
- ½ tablespoon Sesame Oil - Be careful not to use too much as it can be overpowering.
- ¼ tablespoon Honey - Or the same amount of sugar.
- ½ teaspoon Chili Paste - You may also use Sriracha if needed.
- 1 teaspoon Lime Juice - A good squeeze from a quarter of fresh lime, or use bottled.
- 2 tablespoons Sesame Seeds - Toasted sesame seeds and set some aside for garnish.
Optional Ingredients
- 2 medium Radishes - Thinly sliced
- ½ tablespoon Cilantro - Fresh, chopped cilantro.
- ¼ cup Red Onion - Sliced or diced, whichever you prefer.
Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!
🔪 How To Make An Asian Cucumber Salad
There's no cooking required for this simple salad. You will need a cutting board and knife, a colander, and a mixing bowl.
- Prep. First, wash your 1 pound of mini cucumbers under cool water. Use a fork to score down the length of each cucumber, then trim off the ends and slice them into thin rounds that are about ⅛ of an inch thick. Transfer the prepared cucumbers to a colander and salt them liberally with ¼ teaspoon salt. (This helps draw out excess moisture.)
- Wick moisture and dry. Set the salted cucumbers to the side for about 10 minutes, if particularly wet you may wipe away the moisture and reapply salt. When you are ready to build the salad, pat the cucumbers dry with paper towels and transfer them to a mixing bowl.
- Add remaining ingredients. Add the remaining ingredients to your mixing bowl, including the optional ingredients if desired. (3 green onions, ½ teaspoon ginger, ½ teaspoon garlic, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, ½ tablespoon soy sauce, ½ tablespoon sesame oil, ¼ tablespoon honey, ½ teaspoon chili paste, 1 teaspoon lime juice, 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, 2 medium radishes, ¼ cup red onion, and ½ tablespoon cilantro.)
- Chill. Cover the mixing bowl tightly with plastic wrap and pop it in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes prior to serving.
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💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- Storing: Store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days, do not freeze.
- Slice your cucumbers ahead of time! Sliced cucumbers without any dressing or seasoning can stay in the fridge for up to 2 days before you need to make your salad.
- An easy veggie side dish! This Asian cucumber salad is already vegetarian, to make it vegan simply swap the honey for sugar. It's also low calorie and low carb.
😋 More Tasty Sides
- Greek Salad
- Crispy Roasted Red Potatoes
- Roasted Okra
- Tomatoes and Rice
- Roasted Yellow Yellow Squash
- Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
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📖 Recipe Card
Asian Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb mini cucumbers (or English, Persian, or Turkish cucumbers)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 green onions
- ½ teaspoon ginger (grated or finely minced)
- ½ teaspoon garlic (finely minced)
- 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
- ½ tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon sesame oil
- ¼ tablespoon honey (or sugar)
- ½ teaspoon chili paste (or sriracha)
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 2 tablespoon sesame seeds (toasted, reserve some for garnish)
Optional Ingredients
- 2 medium radishes thinly sliced
- ½ tablespoon cilantro (fresh, chopped)
- ¼ cup red onion (sliced or diced)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Wash the cucumbers then use the tines of a fork to score down the length of each cucumber. Trim ends then slice into thin rounds (approximately ⅛ of an inch in thickness). Transfer the sliced cucumbers into a colander then salt them liberally to wick away excess moisture.
- Set the sliced cucumbers aside for about 10 minutes (you can wipe away the moisture and re-apply the salt if needed). When ready to add the rest of the sauce ingredients, use paper towels to pat the cucumbers dry and transfer them into a mixing bowl.
- Add the sliced green onions, grated ginger, minced garlic, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, chili paste, lime juice, and sesame seeds. Optional ingredients like radishes, cilantro, and red onion can also be added. Stir to coat evenly.
- Cover the bowl with plastic cling film and refrigerate to chill before serving (at least 30 minutes).
Notes
- Store in an airtight storage container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
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